Darning machine



Aug. 1'7, 1943. E. G. AHNsTRGM DARNING MAGHINE 'Filed Sept. 5, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet l @Mcerf/ 1943- E. G. AHNSTRGM 2,326,744

DARNING-MACHINE Filed Sept. 5, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 17, 1943.

E. G. AHNSTRGM DARNING-MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 5, 1941 Patented Aug. 17, 1943 DARNING I p 7 Erik Gustaf Ahnstriina, staket, Sweden Application September 5, 1941:,Ser iai.

In Sweden July 14, 1939 The present invention relates to darningmachines of the type having reciprocating knitting needles. V

A feature of the invention consists in that the machine comprises a member which by its rotation reciprocates the knitting needles.

Other features of the invention are described in the following specification with reference to the nose lilfofithe associated lever 4. For the the drawings which by way of exampleillus'trate V a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings, 7 p Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective views ofthe machine in open and closed positions respectively.

Fig. 3 isan enlargedsca-le vertical section of the machine. Fig. 4 is another vertical section on thexline IV-IV in Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 to ldshow several details chine. V

The machine comprises a. case 1 adapted top-be of the masecured on a table or the like by means of a hand A-number of knitting or stitching needles 3 are vertically slidable, each being moved up and down bymeans of an angle lever d which is mounted at the lower part of theease l to swing about a shaft 5,- and by a vertical rod or bar 6 the lower end of which is connected to the lever;

4 and the upper end of which is connectedto the needle 3.- Each lever 4 is given a rocking move' .ment by means of a drum 1- which is rotatably mounted in the case l and isprovided at its'cir-- cumference with two came 8 and 9 provided witha stage for each lever- The stages of said cams- 8. and 9 are adapted to cooperate with the-gtwo noses Ill and H- on: each lever A-i-nsuch manner that. after the last stageon the cam 8 has left the nose H] of: the associated lever'4 the nose- H: of the first lever 4- is engaged by the firststage' on the, cam ii. The drum 1 whichiis' mounted to rotate on a shaft L2 is providedv with teeth [3 .being slidable inguides 28in the side walls of the'f-rame-M; 1 The bottom part 29 of the frame needles -3 apertures H are provided in a horizontal wall 18 ofthe case i, said wall being the;

top of an upward extension of the frontpart of the case: -I'. 'lfhi s-horizontalwall. l8 forrnsa support for the fabric as'described-in the following.

' For feeding the fabric a feederis provided' which consists. ofsa numberof feeding needles l9 securedin a-frame 20 which is. rotatably mounted ona shaft 21. (Said shaft zi'. is heldbetween curvedclaws 22 (Fig.- 8) projecting. froma plate 23 which-is supportedby a frame 24 and isconnected with the same by a: spring 25 hav ing its oneend secured-to theplate 23 and its other endtoa shaft 26 in the case I. This shaft 26 together with-pins 21- secured in the. case ;I; form guiding means for the vertical movementof the frame-24, the shaft-.2 6 and the pins 21 2-4 is adaptedto cooperate with a disc 30 (F'ig. 3)

which issecured on the drumv l and isprovided in its circumference with twodiametrically disposed recesses 3!, the bottom part '29 of the frame 24 by action-of the spring 25 periodically engagingeach of said recesses at the rotation of the drum 7, so that the'fra me' is periodically lowered. Said recesses 3|.are-so disposed that the frame 24 is lowered whenall-the-stitching on its circumference, said teeth meshing with a 7 gear wheel 14- secured on a shaft 15 which is 1 0- tatably mounted in the: case I On theendof saidshaft l5 extending. outside the case I acrank 16 issecured, which preferably is adapted tobe' rotated in only one direction; By the rotation of the drum '1 in. the direction of the arrow i, e. clockwise as viewed. in; Fig. 3;v by means ofthe crank It the stages. on each ofthe cams 8,

and 9 actuate the associated. lovers 4- and by means of the associated'barsQG also the associated needles {each of. which at firstis raisedior instance, by the cam 9 contactingthenose H, and thereafter is loweredby the same cam contacting needles 3 taketheirlowermost position. 'Th'e'side 7 parts 32 of the frameZG engage with a guide 33 securedon the case i,- said guide having such a shape that the frame 20' and thereby also the feeding needles iii are given the motion illustrated= by the linesiB in-Fig.-,8i In the lowered v position of the feeding needles 19 their .points are positioned below the upperrsurface. of the horizontal wall 18 in order to permi-t'the-in'sertion of the fabric and its periodic feeding. -At their upward movement the feeding needles l9 penetrate-the fabric and cause by their inward move ment-the feeding of the'fabric Each stitching needle 3' is provided with a hook Q 34; which at the downward movement of the needle catches the thread 35 (the yarn) as described in the following, As in known stitching machines each stitching needle according to the embodfi ment illustrated in Fig. 9*is provided with a slide Sit-which is= slidable in" the needle'an'd at the downward-motion of the needle by action of a spring 31' secured to the case I is'brought to overlap the hook.34. Thereby the thread 35is permittedto be drawnlthrough the fabric or through a stitch alread formed; interposed-plates 38 secured to the case I serve to guide the stitching needles 3 and the bars laterally. Onthe outer side of the case I a spindle 39 is secured on which a bobbin 4!) for the thread 35 is arranged which run from the bobbin 40 through an eye 4| formed in a wire spring 42, and to another eye 43 secured on the thread guide 44. The thread isheld at a suitable tension by the action of the spring 42.;

The thread guide 44 consists of a bar which is rockably mounted on a vertical shaft 45 secured in the hollow arm=4E. The rear end of the bar 44 is bent downwards (Fig. 4) and engages in the forked end 41 of a bar 48 which is rockably mounted on a horizontal shaft 49 secured in the.

The lower part of the bar48 is bent substantially at a right angle and is provided with a forked end 50 (Fig. 4) engaging the edge. of a cam disc which is secured to the drum 1 and 55. Thus, the lowest position of the stitching needles 3 may be altered, and since the movement bodiment illustrated (s'ee especially Fig. 3) the ends of the shaft 5 are provided with eccentric journals E7, both journals being rotatably mount- "ed in the case I.

A handle 58 is secured on one of the journals 6? by which handle the shaft 5 may be rotated. By this rotation that portion of the shaft, on which the levers are mounted,

arranged to give the bar 48 an oscillating move ment at the rotation of the drum 1. By this oscillation of the arm 44 and of the eye 43 thethread is moved in front of all the stitching needles 3 so that they catch thethread 'at their downward movement. The hollow' arm 46 is rockable about a horizontal shaft 52 in the case I so that the arm 46 may be opened as'shownin Fig. 1 for insertion of the fabricl' In thepart of the arm 46 over the part lli'ofthe case l a member 53 of Bakelite or the like is secured which is provided with a downwardly projecting part with grooves 54, the front side of said member 53 being'arranged to guide the "stitchingneedles 3 in their raised position; In theaperture ll a grate 55 provided which consist's of parallel bars each located between two adjacent stitching needles 3. At the downward movement of the stitching needles 3' certain parts-of the thread are retained resting onthe grate bars, sothat the parts of the thread which are drawn down by the needles 3 form a number of loops 55 (Fig. 10) corresponding to the space between the bars.

may be raised or lowered. whereby the position of their common axis is altered relativel to the shaft l2, so that the engagement of the cams 8 and 9 with the nose H3 is altered, whereby the levers 4 are given a larger or smaller turning movement. The vertical alteration of the position of the axis'of turning of the levers 4 has, on the contrary no influence on the operation of the cams 8 and 8 on the nose H, since this nose is positioned approximately vertically above the shaft 5. Suitably the two arms of the levers 4,

' which are provided with the noses i i] and II,

The downward movement of the needles 3: sh oul'cl 1 begin at that side on which the threald isa-ttached to 'the'fabrlc, i. e. at the side opposite tothe eye 43 of the thread guide. i

A disc 5'! is secured on the drum 1, the edge' of side disc being provided with a notch 58, in which a pawl 59 is adapted to'engage by theaction of-"a spring 60. This pawl 59 is connected by a'link G2 with an arm- 63 rockably mounted on the outer side of the case, so that the pawl 59, by the making of the arm 63 and stretching the spring 60; is forced into engagement with the notch 58 thereby lo-cking the drum against movenintf-The position of the notch 58 is such thatthe pawl 59 engages in the same when the needles are in their lowermost or substantially lowermost position. 'I'hepawl 59 is firmly conn'ectedby an arm :64 with-a sector-shaped indicating. disc 65, whichthrough a window 56 in the case shows the posi tion of the pawl and thus indicates whether the drum? is locked or released. The arm 53 maybe connected by a linkage (not shown) with the arm in such manner that said arm 46 is-free to be turnediupward only when the pawl 59 engages in the notch 58 whereby the rotation of the serted or withdrawn.

- The machine is provided with means'for altering the width of the stitches in order that the darn may be given a similar appearance to the other part of the fabric. The variation of the width of the stitches implies that the stitches 56 formed by the stitching needles (Fig; 10) are altered regarding their length below the grate bars form approximatelya rightangle to each other;

The width of the stitches may be indicated in several ways. 'Fig. '7 shows" a suitable device for such indication. This device consists of a disc 69 secured on thejournal 61, which disc is provided with -a concentric band 18 tapered in one direction and visible through a window H in. thecase I. If the disc'69 is rotated, for instance clockwiseQby means of the handle 68, the width of the band portion visible in the window H and ofthe darn said row shall be shortened, which is done by putting acertain number of needles at each end of the'row out of operation. For this purpose a segmentary member 13 is secured on a shaft 12 rotatably mounted in'thecase, said member 13 at one edge being provided with stages (Fig. 6); which at the rotation of the shaft;

12 and'thus of the member 73 act upon groups of the bars '6, so that the lowerends of said I ing'needles 3 are put out of operation. An arm I5 (Fig. -5)-issecured on one end of the shaft 12- outside of the case .I, the turning of said arm being limited in both directions by stops 1'5 on theoutside'of the case. The case is provided a with indicating lines 11 having different length,

is such that alteration of'the width of the darn is permitted'onlywhenthe hook 59 engages'in the disc 51, i. e. when the drum is locked.

The frontside of the case I is provided with a door 79 adapted to be opened in orderto make adapted at its rotation to actuate the knittingneedles to be successively moved to and from the working position.

2. A darning-machine provided with knitting needles adapted to be moved up and down, in combination with a rotary drum provided with cams, on which are stages each adapted to actuate a knitting needle at the rotation of the drum in such manner that said needles are suecessively moved to and from the working posi-- tion.

3. A darning-machine provided with knitting needles adapted to be moved up and down, in combination with a rotary member adapted at its rotation to actuate the knitting needles to be successively moved to and from the working position, and with a feeding member adapted to be moved by means of a cam disc secured on the rotary member actuating the needles.

4. A darning-machine provided with knitting needles adapted to be moved up and down, in combination with arotary member adapted at its rotation to actuatethe knitting needles to be successively moved to and from the working position, and with a member provided with feeding needles and rockable about a shaft; which is adapted to be given a parallel movement; from and to the, working piece by means of a cam disc secured on the said rotary member.-

5. A darning-machine provided with knitting combination with a rotary member adapted at its rotation to actuate the knitting needles and with a thread guide adapted to be moved by means of a cam disc or the like secured on the said rotary member. v

6. A darning-machine provided with'knitting needles adapted toibe'moved up and down, in combination with a rotary member adapted at its rotation to actuate-the knitting needles, and

with a thread guide adapted to be moved by means of a cam disc or the like secured on the said rotary member, said guide-being arranged I on a movable arm or the like which normally is I positioned just abovethe support for the working piece and is adapted to be moved from this position only in a certain position of the rotary member actuating the needles, in order to lay said support free for removing or inserting a working piece in the darning position. i v

7. A darning-machine provided with knitting needles adapted to be moved up and down, in

combination with a rotary member adapted at its rotation to actuate the knitting needles to be successively moved to and from the working position and adapted to be locked in a desired position of rotation by means of an adjustable device. a

8. A darning-machine provided with knitting needles adapted to be moved up and down, in combination with a-rotary member adapted at 'its rotation to actuate'the knitting needles to be successively moved to and fromlthe working, position, theaxis of saidrotary member having an adjustable position in orderto" enable the moving'path of theknitting needles to be va'riedf [ERIK dusTAn-anusraom;

needles adapted to be moved up and down, in. 

